Wrench for stop and waste cocks



E. C. BUEHLER.

WRENCH FOR STOP AND WASTE COCKS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. I5. I92I.

1,389,736. PatentedSept. 6, 1921.

-, ,7, 5 n, '77 IL 76 PATENT OFFICE.

v EDWARD C. BUEHLER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.`

WRENCH FOR STOP AND WASTE COCKS.

To all echo/m t may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD C. BUEHLER,

l a citizen of the United States, and resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and lState of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Vrench for Stop and Waste Cocks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates lto an improved wrench and rod for use on a valve such as a stop and waste cock or valve.

These valves are usually arranged below ground in more or less inaccessible positions and usually are provided with T-heads. The object of my invention is vto provide a wrench and rod or handle having a socket at one end adapted to be placed upon the T-head of the valve and adapted to be automatically retained thereon.

My invention resides in a wrench and handle or rod for the purpose described having an open bottomed socket adapted to be lowered upon the valve head and provided with retaining members adapted to be spread apart to pass the ends of the T-head and to drop in beneath the ends as .the socket reaches its final position thereby preventing the free removal of the wrench.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification and in which Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a wrench embodying my invention and shown in position on a valve;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the socket end of the wrench shown in position on a valve;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

In said drawings 1 represents a stop and waste cock having a valve 2 which is rotatable back and forth through 90o to open and close the valve.

This valve or cock is adapted to be connected at one end to a water supply pipe 3 and at the other end to a water delivery pipe 4 and is provided with a waste opening or drip 5 adapted to empty the delivery pipe when the valve is shut ofi in the usual manner. The valve 2 is provided with a T-head 6 having projecting ends 7. The head is rectangular in horizontal section as shown in Fig. 3.

' Specification of Letters Patent. I

Patented Sept. 6, 1921.

UApplication led April 15, 1921-. Serial No. 461,736:k

- For engaging this head and turning the valve I provide a socket member 8 which is 1n boX .,form' having sides 9 spread apart as shown 1n Figs. 3 and 4 to straddle the T- head 6, andl these side walls are connected by top wall 10. The top wall l0 is provided with acentral upwardly extending hub or projection 11 into which the lower end l2 of an operating rod 13 is adapted to be fixed as by being threaded therein and held against removal by a pin or rivet 14.

The socket is open on its bottom and isv adapted to be placed'downwardly upon the T-head 6. The side walls 9 are longer than the length of the T-head 6 and are each provided with arcuate slots 15 at each end in which are mounted retaining rods, pins or members 16 which project freely through the oppositely disposed slots in the two walls and are retained in said slots by means of washers 17 at their ends which are secured by riveting the end 18 of the rod 16. The slots 15 constitute camming guide slots for the pins 16 and as indicated in Fig. 2 in dotted lines. As the socket is lowered upon the T-head the pins are pushed outwardly by contact with the T-head so that the T- head can pass up into the socket and then when the socket has reached the lower limit of its movement as shown by full lines, the pins drop down the guide slots and are ositioned thereby, beneath the ends 7 o the T-head so that if it is attempted to lift the socket off of the T-head the pins 16 will engage beneath ends 7 of the T-head and retain the socket against removal.

It will now be clear that once the socket is placed upon the T-head it cannot be removed without first spreading the pins 16 apart in the guide slots l5 so as to free the head 6 thererrom and that this disengagement of the socket from the head must be manually accomplished. As usually constructed, the rod 13 is provided with a bent handle 19 at its upper free end to serve as a wrench handle for opening and closing the valve.

As many modifications of my invention will readily suggest themselves to one skilled in the art, I do not limit or confine my invention to the specific details of construction herein shown and described.

I claim:

1. A socket wrench adapted to be placed upon a valve having a T-head, the socket being provided with slots at each end, movable members in the slots adapted to be spread apart by the T-head as the Wrench is applied and adapted to drop inwardly beneath the ends of the T-head to prevent the free removal of the Wrench.

2. A Wrench of the kind described having an open bottomed socket adapted to be loW- ered upon a T-head valve, the side Walls of the socket beingV provided with slots'the inner ends of Which are closer together than the length of the T-head and said slots being inclined upwardly and outwardly, head en'- gaging rods carried in the slots and adapted to be pushed outwardly as the socket is low'- ered into position and to drop freely beneath the lends of the T-liead when the socket reaches its final position.

8. In a Wrench socket for stop and Waste cocks7 movable means carried by the socket `by the head as the socket is applied, and

adapted to be positioned by gravity beneath the Vends of the head as the socket reaches its final position.

'4. A valve operating rod and socket, comprising an open bottomed socket fixed upon the end of an operating rod, the socket being adapted to Vit loosely uponva T-head valve, and gravity operated means 4carried by the socket for'engagement beneath the ends o the T-head, and the socket provided with inelined'guidesfor spreading the engaging means as the socket is lowered into position.

EDWARD o.,BUEHIJER 

